Flame's Desire
by CrimsonGuiltyPleasures
Summary: As the last of her tribe, Lucy barely escapes the grasp of slavers and falls into the hands of a man as wild as the flames that destroyed her clan. She's been given a second chance with her life, but why does her savior awaken a fire in her blood she's never known before? Rated for future Lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fanfic and the beginning of my first Natsu/Lucy romance. I've given this a high rating for future sexual content, violence and language.  
**

**I'm not sure if I'd call this out of character or if it's still too short to decide, but for the story and the situation, I was trying to make them as true to themselves as they could be. **

**I own nothing in regards to the characters and setting of Fairy Tail. This is purely written to have fun. So enjoy reading it!**

**-CGP**

* * *

**Flame's Desire**

She knew she was going to die. Leering at her from across the flames were men covered in dirt and sweat, their skin, tan from constantly working in the hot sun. They had examined her earlier, bound to her wooden cage she had been dragged in. Surrounded by others locked with her, it was decided she would be their entertainment for the night. The mere thought of their rotting teeth and dirt covered hands wandering the expanses of her body was enough to bring a shiver to her spine.

Exotic they had called her. With hair as bright as the sun. They figured she would fetch a hefty price in the Markets and she could only assume they were correct.

"Do y'think she's been wit ne'un b'fore?"

"Nah, skin's too tight n'supple t'be used already."

She grimaced as they spoke among themselves. She didn't completely understand their thick accents, but the way they licked their lips while watching her spoke volumes. If not that, the painful shrieks and cries for mercy from the other women they had taken each night was hint enough. Most of them had been returned to their cages after being traded about all night, but the more feeble ones often died from the rough treatment. A large part of her desperately hoped she wasn't one of them.

An attempted escape could lead to her death and they would not grant her a quick one. With hands and feet bound, it would have been impossible to even try. No, she'd have to find another way to deal with being violated. If not...

The fire crackled, interrupting her thoughts and the men were now laughing, voices thick with ale and shirts already tossed aside. Hearing more shrieks from across the camp, she assumed another woman was now undergoing the same treatment as the others before her.

"Girlie," One of the men spoke to her, "d'yeh like getting' yer hair pulled?" Keeping her gaze on the bonfire, she didn't answer. "Ey, girlie! Ah know yeh c'n understand meh- hear th' otha girl? She's havin' a good time. Bet y'wanna good time too..."

Bile rose in her throat as the shrieks and moans grew louder and she winced when her nails bit into the palm of her hand. Clenching them to fists, she stubbornly kept her head down while the men laughed at her, but her lack of response soon riled them. "Ey, I'm talkin to ya', wench!"

Pushing himself up, the man moved as if intending to come towards her, but he barely made it two steps around the fire before a sudden sound of cutting air whistled passed and a dull thud met her ears. Staring in shock, his mouth gurgled as a spear struck his chest, sending him to the ground. Speechless, she watched the man fall as the others stood, drawing their weapons in confusion. They were met with the sound of pounding hooves and more death cries from across the camp.

A group of riders and men cloaked in darkness burst through the woods, shouting a battle cry as they ran through the camp. She heard arrows fly and swords clash and saw fires flash. Perplexed, she stared at the scene before her, stunned by the suddenness of the attack. It finally hit her. Her captors were under attack. When a cage full of others like herself were knocked to the ground, shattering the cage as they forced themselves free, she reacted and rolled her arms and legs straight into the now forgotten bonfire.

The flames bit at her skin and she seethed at the pain. The fire burned the taught ropes that bound her and she quickly ripped them away . Taking opportunity from the confusion, she looked for the closest escape into the woods and took it without a second glance.

"Kill th 'outriders! Blast 'em from 'dere horses n' secure our shipment! D'mmit! Th' gold 'un is getting' away ya' damn idiots!" One of her abductors shouted in anger as the clattering of battle echoed through the sky, but his words were too late. She was already disappearing into the underbrush, ignoring the pain in her bare feet as they came across sharp brambles and roots.

There was no time to think. There was only the blood pounding through her ears and the adrenaline coursing through her body. She continued through the woods, ignoring the sounds of fighting and lights behind her. She could smell the fire in the air and knew she had to go further. With lungs burning she ran with only the moonlight and stars as her guide. She had to get away. Had to get further away. There was no chance for survival if she stayed and to run left her future open to the unknown. It was a better chance than death.

Gasping for air, she caught the sounds of a babbling brook and veered in its direction. She'd need water if she was to run anymore, and it would help to lose her tracks. With hope in her chest, she finally caught sight of the dark waters trickling in a stream when she felt a sudden stabbing pain in her leg and crashed to the ground.

She never heard the twang of a bow until after she had landed, screaming out in frustrated pain. The shaft of the arrow held erect in her calf and she twitched into the dirt, just feet away from the waters edge. Ragged breathing came from behind as branches broke under the weight of footsteps. She turned to see her assailant with shaking arms and moaned despairingly.

He looked as if he had been thrown through fire, with dark hair askew and blood dripping down his face. He was one of the slavers that had taken her from her cage. He lowered his bow at the sight of her and sneered."Ye' thought ye'd git away di'ya?" Stumbling, the man advanced, falling before her with madness in his eyes. "Thought ye'd be safe..."chuckling hoarsely, his bloody hands reached for her and she shrieked, shuffling her legs to get away.

The burns on her arms and legs slowed her and the blinding pain of the arrow caused her to see stars, but still she desperately tried to escape his questing fingers, gripping for anything she could use in her defense. Laughing, he gripped her ankle, yanking her back towards him just as her fingers came across a heavy rock.

He had no time to react to her first strike and she briefly heard the crack of his jaw as it connected. Gasping in pain and garbled curses, he retreated for a moment to hold his jaw, but rallied as she prepared to hit him again. Catching her wrist, he twisted her, forcing the stone from her hands and pushed her to the ground. With more force than necessary, he twisted the arrow in her leg and she screamed while her body arched from the pain.

"Bitch!" He said harshly, the accent and damage done to his jaw making it sound more like growls. She felt the blood of his wounds land on her cheek as he pulled her close, breath fanning her face and causing the bile to rise in her throat. "I'll fuck ya' til ya' beg me to slit yer throat!"

Struggling against him, he ripped what little clothes she had from her body, hands roughly grabbing at her as he adjusted himself. With rough bites he assaulted her neck and arms as she tried to shove him away. Her throat was going raw as he bit her enough to draw blood and she cried out in vane. "N-no! Stop!" She'd beg him to cut into her now if it would have saved her from this.

"See? We knew y'could speak... stop fightin' n' I promise yeh'll like it. " Laughing, he ignored her tries to escape and began loosening his pants with one hand while holding her down with the other. All the while she shrieked and hollered, desperately wishing she was with her family laughing in the summer with the smell of smoked deer in the air.

She was about to let her mind drift through happier memories, to mentally run from this man about to rape her. Her strength was failing and she knew she was in a losing battle. As he finally managed to settle himself between her legs, more than ready to piston her to submission, the vision she ran to dissolved as a roar of fire suddenly struck him from behind. His weight pressed against her and she gasped before she felt him yanked from her and into the air. With widening eyes she sat up and watched the area light up by flames as bright as the stars as they engulfed the man. With kicking limbs and a shriek escaping from him, he tried to escape the elements wrath, but was held fast by another man gripping him tightly with cold fury emanating from him.

It took only moments before she witnessed her attack fall dead beside her. His hair and skin sizzled and the stench filled her nostrils. With a terrified yelp, she gagged and tore her gaze away from the twitching body only to find herself looking into the eyes of her savior.

The moon illuminated him and he was gasping for air as if he'd been running. He wore the clothes of a nomad, with more skin than cloth covering his chest. He was covered in fresh cuts that gleamed angrily in the night, but his dark eyes held her captivated. Above all, her mind noticed the mass of pink hair glowing in the moonlight that was far more unusual than her golden tresses.

He took a step towards her and the moment broke in millions of pieces. Reacting without thought, she grabbed the stone once more and pulled away,holding her arm out threateningly. "G-go away!" She shouted, voice hoarse from the constant screaming. He growled in response and quickly swatted the rock from her hand and grasped her shoulders to keep her still.

"Calm down! I'm getting you out of here." His voice was rough, angry and she found she couldn't disobey him. With a shuddering breath and the adrenaline finally leaving her, her body slumped in defeat. Relieved, he grunted and quickly picked her up, holding her tightly in his arms. "You're safe now, I promise." She barely heard the words her mind was too jumbled, too shocked and exhausted, but she felt his calloused hands as they held her and they were far gentle than the hands that had gripped her moments before.

He turned back in the direction of the slave camp and she couldn't hold back the shudder of fear that ran through her. If he noticed, he said nothing and instead he whistled and its high tune almost made her wince. A few moments later, an answer whistle came back and he grinned. "Good, no one's hurt." He jostled her lightly to get her attention. "Hold tight for a second."

Confused, she didn't grasp his meaning until he almost dropped her. With a yelp of discomfort, she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and watched as he used his free hand to send a blast of fire towards the still sizzling body at his feet. Torching it in a blast of flames, she buried her face into his shoulder to protect her eyes. When the roar of flames died down, she felt his grip tighten on her as he began the trek back to the camp she had just escaped from.

With a whimper, she dug her nails into his skin and only tightened her grip when he hissed in pain. "I... just left from there. Why are you taking me back?" Surely he wasn't going to place her back into her cage again, was he? She was certain he was part of the group that had attacked the caravan, but how could she be sure it wasn't just a rival group looking to secure their own shipment?

"You think I'm going to leave you behind, wounded like that?" He snorted and raised an eyebrow."What sort of strange girl are you to think I'd let ya' run off to who knows where, naked with an arrow in her leg?"

She fell silent, ashamed to realize he was right. With quivering arms, she covered herself and let tears silently drip down her nose. "S-so... what now?"

"Hmm?" He didn't seem to understand her question and she briefly choked on her own tears.

"What are you going to do with me?"

With a voice far more lighthearted than she had heard in months, he chuckled at her as the now destroyed camp came into view."Why keep you of course! Can't send you off with the others with you wounded like that, can I?"

As he chuckled and brought her back to the camp she had wanted nothing more than to escape from, she puzzled over his words. Send the others where? Glancing to the camp, she was surprised by the destruction. Carts and wagons were toppled over, the cages that held her and many of the others were now opened and the outriders that had ran through now surveyed the area, giving blankets and baskets of food towards the ones now unbound. They worked quickly and they all held the mark of their clan on some visible parts of skin. That's when she finally understood that she and those that had been captured with her were finally saved.

"Natsu! Who do you have there? Bring her over so Wendy can patch her up!" She heard a commanding voice shout nearby and tried to see who it was, but the shock of the night was finally wearing off and the pain in her leg was burning. It throbbed until her head pounded and spots appeared before her eyes. She could hardly focus on who was talking and with who.

"I'll bring her over!" The rose-haired man shouted back, jostling her once more to keep from dropping her. "Let's get that arrow out of your leg, eh?" He smiled brightly and looked at her, but she never understood the words or saw the sudden concern that lit up his features. She had fallen unconscious.

**_To Be Continued._**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! I did not expect such good reactions for the beginning of this! Thank you all who have favorited or followed Flame's Desire and THANK YOU to those who reviewed! I deeply appreciate it! You all have given me the warm fuzzies!**

**I didn't consider posting the next chapter so soon, but who am I to deny you all? As a thank you for such a great reception, here's the second chapter! I can't promise that other chapters will come out as quickly, but you all have definitely inspired me!**

**Special Thanks To: OhtaSuzuke, Doraguniru, Fairystars, Hanashi o suru, two guests, xFallenDemonx, U don't say333, EgyptianSoul.88, and CammyHelena! (Guests, if you have accounts or other names to go by, review and tell me so I can properly thank you darnit!)**

**-CGP**

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"You weren't supposed to bring one with us, Natsu."

He grimaced and sheepishly shuffled his feet. An odd act for a warrior of his caliber, but with his Chief leering down at him, there wasn't much else for him to do. "I know that- it's just..."

"It's just... what?" Makarov, Chieftain of the his tribe, frowned at him. He was a short man, frail to look at, but no one ever challenged him. "I saw the state she was in, m'boy, you don't have to hide it. You felt sorry for her didn't you?"

"Well no I-"

He interrupted, "Try the truth."

With an annoyed growl, Natsu stubbornly dug his feet into the floor and faced his Chief with little repentance."I am! She was handling herself pretty well before I got there, I could hear it. She wasn't some stray I decided to pick off the slave trade out of feeling bad for her! It's just..." His ire died down and he scratched the back of his head. "You saw her hair color..."

"Thought it pretty, did you?" The dubious stare was all the answer the chieftain needed and he wheezed with laughter. "Of course not. I see where you're going with this, Natsu. It's rare to find any Golden Haired Romni's. Those tribes have either traveled South or were wiped out. She may even be the last of her kind..."

Natsu didn't bother to respond, but the low growl in the back of his throat was enough to show his unease. Clearing his own throat, Makarov flicked ashes out of his pipe and seemed to make a decision. "All right, boy. You've proven to be one of my finer warriors, if a bit hard headed, but I'll allow it. I'll assign someone to take care of her and see where it goes from there." Seeing his shoulders relax, the chief added a warning, "don't get ahead of yourself. If she can't adapt to our ways, we can't keep her here."

Something in his onyx eyes bristled for a moment and Natsu smirked, "I did, didn't I?"

"You, are an entirely different story." They both grinned then, with nothing but the left over smoke from his pipe floating between them. Stuffing it with more tobacco, Makarov waved him from his wagon. "Get out of here now and bring the girl to me when she wakes up. I'd like to see her lucid."

* * *

She saw blue hair and brown eyes when she woke up. Puzzled, she tried to move, but felt tiny hands press her back before a wet cloth was wiped across her brow. "Just stay still a little longer." She heard the order whispered in a small voice and blearily looked up at the person currently tending to her.

She was surprised to find a little girl only half her age smiling kindly."It looks like your fever finally broke."

Fever? Still confused, she glanced around the room, finding herself in a small tent littered with herbs and it smelled of floral incense. Just where was she? Looking back towards the girl, she managed to keep herself calm. There was no hint of a threat coming from her and freaking out would do her no good until she sifted through the cloudiness in her mind.

"Wh-..where.. am I?"She croaked, surprised at the rough tone of her voice. It hurt to speak, as if she had been screaming non-stop for hours. She blinked when memories of the attack came back in waves and felt her body deflate. "This.. isn't the camp?"

"The camp...?" The small girl bit her lip and frowned. "What do you- oh! You must mean the slave-traders we attacked last night!" Pleased with herself, she sat back. "No, you're not there. Natsu brought you back with us. I've been taking care of your wounds all night. That arrow in your leg had been poisoned. It gave you a nasty fever."

Is that why her head was pounding as if she'd rammed it into a tree? Swallowing thickly, she nodded her head, trying to make sense of all the information she was being given. She understood being sick and wasn't surprised to see her wrists and ankles bandaged from the burns, but something was making her feel off...

"You said..Natsu brought me back?" She asked after a time. By then, the girl was busy shuffling about the tent, looking for supplies.

"Oh, he's the one that found you." She explained. "He's one of our warriors. Pretty nice of him wasn't it? He was really angry when he brought you to us. Those slaver's must have done terrible things to you..."

The girl grew silent then, finding the items she was looking for-some more incense to burn- and everything went quiet. The now-freed blonde was able to hear loud chatter in the background and realized she must have been in the center of their own camp, but which tribe was it? She saw the mark on the girls shoulder, signifying her clan, but she couldn't make heads or tails of it. From the side it almost looked like a phoenix, maybe?

She didn't know of any tribes in the area with that mark...

"By the way, what's your name?"

"I.. what?" She looked at the girl, not entirely sure if she heard correctly.

The girl gasped and waved her hands apologetically. "Oh I'm sorry! Perhaps I should tell you who I am first. I'm-"

"Wendy!" Both girls jolted as the tent flap flew open, revealing the pink-haired man that had saved her the night before. He took no notice of the fact he had interrupted their conversation and questioned the blue-haired girl the moment he was in the tent."How is she? Is she awake?"

Stunned by his abrupt entrance, the girl stuttered back,"Well, I...uh..."

He didn't wait for her answer and cast his gaze toward the bed. With eyes narrowed, the bed-ridden blonde felt herself tense in response. His stare caused her pulse to quicken and her insides to flop. Intimidated, she glared at him and snapped, "If you paid attention to your surroundings you'd see that I am."

The girl- Wendy was it?-gasped at her rude reply and looked between them, holding the cleaning cloth to her chest. For a moment, she felt bad for responding in such a hostile manner, but something about his gaze rankled her.

Her tone didn't phase him. Instead, he grinned, revealing sharp fangs and instantly, his face that was once intimidating took on a boyish charm. "So you are! I knew you could do it Wendy!"

Blushing, Wendy replied demurely, "Oh.. it was nothing... " Shuffling around him, she grasped the blonde's wrists and began to examine the bandages. "I'm guessing Makarov wants to see her?"

"You guessed it." He crossed his arms and watched her work. "So, will she be able to walk?"

"Yes, I can." She answered for Wendy, staring him down still. Though his features had softened, something about him talking as if she wasn't there was also irritating. She took the time to look him over as he stared at her again. A part of her was surprised. She thought he'd be taller than that. Had the night truly tricked her when she had first seen him? There were still the cuts and scrapes she remembered from the night before, but they were already healed and the vest he had been wearing was completely gone. Much like Wendy, he had the same symbol on his arm, but he moved before she could get a better look.

Without warning, he bent down and poked her leg. With a cry of pain, she twitched away and hissed. "What are you doing?! That hurts!"

"I was just checking." He waved his hands apologetically and turned his attention back to Wendy. "If she's still that tender, I think she'll have trouble."

Wendy agreed with a nod of her head. "I've taken away the brunt of it, but it will take some time before it's completely healed." Patting where he had recently poked, her fingers glowed lightly and the pain he had caused seemed to immediately vanish. "There you are! You should be good to go!"

"Good to go where?" She asked sternly, starting to feel very uncomfortable. Who was this Makarov they mentioned? And why was he worrying if she could walk or not?

"To see our Chief." Natsu answered, still smiling at her. "He wanted to talk to you once you woke up." He rounded on Wendy. "So, can she walk or can't she?"

"Yes, but be very careful with her!" Wendy admonished, wagging a finger at him. "She wont be able to move that fast, but walking will keep her leg from stiffening up."

He nodded, "I'll be careful." Moving to the side of the cot, he quickly removed the thin blanket and held his hand out to her. "Come on, let's go."

A part of her wanted to swipe his hand away. To refuse the help and stand on her own. She appreciated the fact he had saved her life, but it still stung at her pride to need assistance getting back on her feet. Recognizing it as being uselessly stubborn, she allowed him to pull her up. Just as the night before, he was far more gentler than she assumed he would be.

It hurt to stand and her legs wobbled, but she kept herself upright even as her fingers clenched his like a vice. Exhaling, she cast her eyes on the exit and carefully allowed herself to be led forward. It took her a few small steps before she suddenly turned her head to smile at the small girl that had healed her.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Wendy." She said, smiling softly. "...my name is Lucy."

* * *

It was a short walk to the Chieftains tent. Or, it would have been. With pain ebbing through her leg with each step, Lucy found herself clinging to Natsu's arm halfway across the camp and she couldn't keep her eyes focused ahead of her. Most of the tents were covered wagons, doors shut or swung open to be used as houses. It was obvious this tribe moved around constantly. She watched children run by giggling while men and women went about their daily chores. Horses grazed in a make shift pin and other animals ran around freely.

It was peaceful. She decided. Lucy could hardly compare this homely existence to the group of riders that had ran through the slavers camp the night before. The difference from day to night was astonishing and it made her both uneasy as well as hopeful. How long had she been traveling alone? Could this group change that?

With a slight stumble and Natsu tightening his grip around her, she found her attention jarred. "Take it easy." He told her, as he raised a pink brow. "Wendy wont be happy if we have to patch your leg back up again."

"Yes.. I'm being careful." Lucy said between her teeth. It wasn't as if she hadn't walked on worse injuries, did this man with such a childish grin truly think he could treat her like a child as well? She narrowed her eyes at him as they walked and briefly noticed the scent of smoke radiating off of him.

"This is a Roma tribe, right?" She found herself asking before she could think about it. He grunted in affirmation and she continued. "Most nomadic tribes are known for being blessed by nature.. to have special skills."

She heard him frown more than saw it."I suppose so, what's your point?"

"What is the skills here?" She asked, glancing around again. "Most tribes share the same ones as well as similarities in their looks... but none of you seem to share anything... it's all so..different."

Natsu's gaze hardened for a moment and he hummed in thought. "You ask a lot of questions don't you?"

"Excuse me?"

"I just thought you were quieter. You hardly spoke last night."

Annoyed, Lucy gripped his arm tightly and hissed,"In case you forgot, I had been attacked and almost-" He covered her mouth with his hand before she could finish and Lucy squeaked in outrage.

"I know. Ya' don't have to shout it out!" He growled, eyes wide. "Sheesh, you get angry quick too, don't you?"

She didn't bother trying to answer. Instead, she bit the top of his hand and successfully caused him to release her.

"What was that for?" He grumbled, staring at her incredulously.

"Your hand smells." She replied simply. He gawked and was still grumbling by the time they reached the wooden steps to a very large covered wagon.

It was painted in bright orange and black colors and the symbol everyone sported on them was embroidered across the top of it. A small oil lamp hung by the small door frame, was unlit but well-used. It was clear that they had made it to the Chief's tent just from the extravagance of it. Suddenly nervous, Lucy stopped walking and gulped.

"Is this it?" She found herself asking, her voice a breathy whisper.

Stepping up before her, Natsu nodded and motioned for her to go inside. "It sure is. The old man will want to know more about you. Are you fine with that?"

She briefly nodded before another question sprang forth, "Why does he want to know?"

"I said we were going to keep you, remember?" His boyish grin was back and he held his hand out to her once more."He just wants to check and see if we should, that's all. Can you do that, Lucy?"

She looked at his hand once again and considered his question. It was more than just taking care of her. Natsu sounded as if they were considering letting her stay, but why her and not the others they had saved the night before? Because she was injured? Many had been harmed before her, that couldn't have been it... Lucy cast a look once more around the camp seeing as well as hearing the smiles and laughter while everyone went about their business.

It struck her that staying here, even if it was just for healing, couldn't be so bad. She Grasped his hand and finally looked him in the eyes without a shred of annoyance hindering her.

"Yes. I think I can."His smile grew to split his face. In a smooth motion, he pulled her up the steps and placed his hand on the door.

With a shove, the door opened and he said beside her ear,"Then let's go!" Leading her through the door, pipe tobacco was the predominate scent and Natsu yelled his greeting through the entire tent. "Oi! Gramps, I'm back!"

Lucy learned quickly that this was not a normal meeting between Warrior and Chief. Makarov was not a normal Chief by any means. His small stature was surprising, his smoking through a long pipe typical. However, though his face looked serious at first, it soon fell to a much softer, kinder smile. He ignored the calls of Natsu and waved them in, motioning for her to sit all the while asking about her injuries. Before Natsu could answer for her, he was waved off to wait by the doors and told to be silent. Lucy found it was not all that difficult to talk with the older man.

"You are not like the other slaves we saved last night, are you?" After they had discussed her injuries and reviewed her escape from her captors, he finally decided to strike to the bone of their conversation. "Those who were locked up with you were trophy's of war. Picked up as they scattered from burnt villages and towns or captured from their very beds, but you... your hair betrays you Lucy. Why are you so far North from your kin?"

She could feel his gaze burning into her and Natsu's own dark stare pierced the back of her skull. With fists clenched on her lap, she nodded her head. "I guess there's no hiding it." She began, licking her lips anxiously. "I'm like all of you. I'm a Romni. My tribe was one of the few connected to the spirits of the stars."

"That explains the golden hair..."

She nodded. "Yes. My clan had been traveling South for warmer climates, but we stayed apart from the other tribes. Last winter, we were attacked by a tribe that could control the shadows and destroy life with a touch of their hands." Her voice quivered at the memory and she closed her eyes.

"I've been traveling alone ever since. The slaver's caught me in one of their traps a fortnight ago and I had been with them since."

Makarov set his pipe aside and studied her."You've been very brave. How did you survive the attack?"

"My father's wagon had fallen on me. They set everything on fire, but left me for dead. I woke with the destroyed wagon on top of me. I'm not sure why I wasn't killed..." She was being honest. She knew it sounded strange, even suspicious, but what point did she have in lying?

"I see..." The room grew quiet. The wind rustled against the sides of the tented wagon like a caress and Lucy could catch the breathing of Natsu behind her. Though he had been shooed away earlier, he had managed to bring himself beside her as they talked.

Makarov did not seem to care. Instead, he proffered his hand out to Lucy and asked to see her own hand. She laid hers on his palm curiously. "What is it?" She asked when his stare began to feel scrutinizing.

"You haven't used your power to connect with the spirits of the stars have you?" He asked, almost distracted. She shook her head and he sighed. "Well then... I suppose you've noticed that we're not normal Roma, haven't you?"

Lucy blinked. "Well... yes, I had asked Natsu about it, but he didn't answer."

"Of course he didn't. That's for me to explain. We're a tribe by name only, Lucy. Recall that the slaver's called us outriders?" When it looked as if she wasn't understanding, Makarov continued. "We are all from other tribes: left behind, abandoned, or lone survivors of some terrible battle. We did not grow together with decades of traditions to bind us. We're known as the fairies with tails. That is the symbol we wear, to show our freedom and acceptance of the unknown. Do you understand?"

"I ..I think I do."

Finally, Makarov grinned and released her hand. "Good. I'm allowing you to stay with us Lucy. For as long as you like. In time, maybe you can show us your tail for adventure and become a Fairy yourself. Until then, I have ordered my granddaughter-in-law, Mirajane, to help you learn our ways."

Lucy couldn't find the words to speak and nodded her head so quickly she became dizzy. Before she could find her voice to thank him, he turned toward Natsu and ordered gruffly. "M'boy, you brought her to us. When she is not with Mirajane, you will watch her. She's your responsibility now."

* * *

**Roma-Romni is the Masculine and Feminine terms used to describe Romani. Or, in other words, gypsies. I don't know Romani culture and history all that well, so I'm taking liberties with titles for this story.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so touched! Double the reviews since I posted the first chapter. Thank you all so much!**

**Also, special thanks to ****OmegaSage037** **for noticing one of my mistakes. I've reread my chapters many times to check for errors, but I still miss a few on my own. I've gone back and fixed the errors mentioned to me, as well as a few extra that I found myself. I'll apologize ahead of time for any mistakes in this update.**

**Thank you all again! I feel as if I can never say that enough or that I may be saying it too much, but I really am grateful to the responses I've received for Flame's Desire!**

**Also, I was inspired to write this story by a collection of songs on Youtube. The first two chapters were written while I was listening to them, but I've now compiled them altogether to help me write for further chapters as well. Today's chapter was inspired by a song called Flame's Dance by Marcato Sound.**

**-CGP**

* * *

"And we have the Seven of Swords reversed! Is there something you're being dishonest about, Romeo?"

The dark haired boy flushed, "N-no!"

Smirking cheekily, the fortune teller took a swig of ale and tapped her fingers on the small wooden table. "This card here says otherwise, kid. It's tellin' me you've been sneaking around about something. Whatever it is, I'd suggest returning it before your dad finds out."

Looking far too sheepish for a kid supposedly innocent, Romeo swiped at the card placed in front of him, only to miss as the card reader slid it back into her deck. He frowned and promptly stood up, clearly aggravated by the woman. "It wasn't from my Father you fraud!"

"Oh, but I got ya' to admit ya' took something, didn't I?" She looked very pleased with herself as the boy's face grew to a complete different shade and he sputtered in embarrassment. Without another word, he took off across the camp to return the item he had taken, Lucy presumed. Watching the fortune teller laugh at the boy brought a smile to her face even as she shook her head.

"I can't figure out how you do that."She said, watching the woman shuffle her cards before draining her ale mug dry."Is there a trick of some sort?"

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Ain't no trick, blondie, I just know what I'm doing." She leaned to the side where a keg sat beside her and refilled her mug, not even sparing a glance towards the girl who had been watching her for half the morning. With a hiccup, she drank deeply of her refilled mug of ale and covered her mouth when a belch issued forth. "Whew, 'scuse me." Cana Alberona, was the farthest thing away from being a delicate, classy woman.

Lucy couldn't help, but wrinkle her nose from the smell, but made no comment on the drunk woman's actions. She had learned that no amount of coaxing could convince the card reader to ever drink something that wasn't made of alcohol. It had only been a week since she had been allowed to stay, but she was slowly getting used to the habits of these mix-matched Roma. Cana was well-known for her drinking just as much as she was known for her fortunes, but as she almost toppled off her stool from leaning too far; ale mug practically attached to her lips, Lucy couldn't help but feel exasperated.

"You're going to fall and hit your head one of these days." She muttered, but the woman only toppled forward instead, clinging to her small table with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Didja say something, blondie?"

"I said you spilled ale on your cards."

Cana's answering chuckle revealed her disbelief. "I'd never do that, Lucy." Effortlessly, her fingers began to shuffle her cards once again and she hummed under her breath. "So..why's Natsu not with you?"

The blonde Romni huffed and crossed her arms. "Why should I care? I should be thankful he's not hovering around. Sharing a tent with him is bad enough!" Noticing the fortune teller still chuckling, she furrowed her brows at her."What?"

"S'nothing..." Cana drawled, eyeing her cards with a serious stare. "Chief said you're his responsibility, he can't help it if he's gotta keep n'eye on ya. I just find it amusing how hostile you are to him."

Lucy blanched, "I'm not that hostile..."

"Not physically, no, but you seem to get your bloomer's all in a twist every time he opens his mouth." Now red at the mention of her under garments, Lucy opened her mouth to retort, but was quickly interrupted. "Hey, I'm not saying he can't be aggravating, because he can. God knows I've wanted to slug him a few times, that's for sure, but maybe you can cut him some slack? He's not used to this either, y'know."

Now feeling guilty, Lucy's shoulders sagged and she sighed again."You're right... I probably should." It's not as if she had wanted to be mean to the pink-haired man that had saved her. She just felt compelled to snap at him when he was around. It didn't help that his snoring was atrocious at night and his ability to walk into his tent just as she was changing was so prompt that it was suspicious. Just how often could a guy get away with accidentally seeing a girl with her pants down before he was doing it on purpose? She had a hard time accepting that he was just that clumsy.

The abrupt end to Cana's shuffling pulled Lucy from her thoughts and she snapped her eyes to a lone card that had flipped out of her deck. "Well now, looks like this one's talkin' to me!"

Confused, Lucy brushed her comment aside, "That's nice Cana, but I still don't understand how that's supposed to make any-" Her words died in her throat as she caught the sound of her name being called from a tent across the way. "Oh! Here comes, Mirajane!"

"Uh huh, that's nice.. say blondie, ya think this card is tellin' me something 'bout you?"

Lucy didn't hear the fortune teller, she was far too distracted by the white-haired woman trotting towards them with a basket of clothes on her hip. Despite the obvious signs of work, her hair looked smooth as ever and she moved with an almost ethereal grace. "Lucy! How are you this morning?"

"I'm doing well, Mirajane, and you?" Lucy couldn't help the smile that lit up her face at the woman's approach. Ever since Makarov had instructed Mirajane to teach her everything there was to know about living with the tribe, they had become fast friends. The sweet woman was far too nice to distrust and Lucy greatly enjoyed spending time with her. "You haven't been doing the laundry by yourself, have you?"

Smiling, Mirajane shook her head. "Oh no, I was coming over to see if you'd like to assist me? I just need to get these buckets down to the stream and we can wash them together before lunch. Will you help?"

Standing up, the Romni nodded. "Of course I will. You know I'll do what I can to help around here after all." She brought a thin staff up with her, placing most of her weight on the wood. Her wounds had all healed, but there was still a stiffness in her leg that kept her from being able to walk on her own. One of the other women in the tribe, she believed her name was Laki, fashioned her a cane to use in the meantime. "Though, I may not be able to carry anything..."

Mirajane waved her off, "Don't worry about that, Lucy, I just need you to help clean and dry the shirts for me."

"All right then!" Smiling, Lucy turned to follow Mirajane out of the camp to the stream, but stopped in a half step and looked back at Cana."I'll see you at dinner, Cana!"

"Dinner, sure..." The card reader replied distractedly, hardly noticing when the girl left. She was still staring at the card she had dropped pensively. "The tower reversed?... now that's interesting."

* * *

It was a good morning and the stream Mirajane took Lucy too was clear and clean. She could see the pebbles that littered it beneath the surface. A part of her wondered if it connected to the stream Natsu had found her at, but she paid the thought no mind. Anything that revolved around Lucy's entrapment was something she did not wish to think about. Especially in such nice scenery.

Mirajane, seemed to agree. "It's so beautiful here." She gushed while lowering the three baskets full of clothes. It was a marvel to Lucy that the thin woman could carry the woven baskets with such ease, but she seemed to not think it out of the ordinary. She placed them side by side, checked that they weren't going to tip over the uneven ground and cast Lucy a bright smile. "We even have a good size tree nearby to hang the linens on, isn't it perfect?"

"It certainly is." Lucy smiled in return. Mirajane's optimism was contagious. In no time at all the girls had set everything up and were steadily scrubbing shirts in the clean waters with heavy bars of soap in their hands. They hummed and spoke little at first, but soon they found themselves in a quick rhythm that was calming and both relaxing.

Lucy was surprised at how happy she was. The tribe was still new to her, and she still found the concept of them a little strange, but the daily chores she was allowed to do and the all-around friendly atmosphere was calming to her heart. She had a lot to thank Mirajane for. Once she had left Makarov's tent, the woman had been nothing, but a fountain of information, joining Natsu as they gave her a tour of the entire camp.

She knew they wouldn't stay here for much longer. Like other Roma tribes, they were nomads and with a slave caravan being destroyed on the main road, it would soon be unsafe to stay. It was no surprise to her that they would soon pack up and travel, but for now, she was thankful to be able to stay in one spot. For once, she felt safe.

"Do you like it here so far?" Mirajane asked after a time, smiling gently as they worked.

Lucy hummed a reply as she strung a shirt along a low-hanging branch and sighed. "It's different from my tribe... but I definitely like it." Reaching for another wet cloth, she continued, "I had never heard of a tribe before that was a mixture of many others, but the differences every where is refreshing. Once I think I've remembered something, I'm shown something different: Fortune tellers, elemental controllers and even healers. It's been so much already, but I feel at home here."

This answered seemed to please Mirajane as she giggled and tossed another shirt over the blonde's head. "That's good! We want those who stay here to feel at home, always. So you will have a place to come back to if you ever leave."

Something akin to guilt nagged at Lucy's senses as she wondered briefly about her stay here. Would she stay in the end? She wasn't sure. "...like your … partner was it?" She was surprised to learn that weddings were not prominent in this tribe. Their courtships were done through dances and other festivities and those partnered together were hand-fasted. Mirajane, she had learned, was fasted to the Chief's grandson,but he had left on a journey over a year ago and had yet to return.

Mirajane smiled wistfully. "Yes. Like him." She turned back to her washing and changed the subject. "Are you getting along with Natsu any better?"

"Why does everyone ask me that?" Lucy sighed and shook her head. "Even Cana was on that earlier."

"Well, of course we ask! We all know how Natsu can be and everyone heard you both yelling this morning." Mirajane's smile grew almost devious. "Do you want Makarov to place someone else to watch you? I can ask, you know. Though, I think Natsu is trying his best."

"No..that's not necessary." Lucy hedged, "I've already noticed he's nice enough and I'm not going to whine about it when I'm being allowed to stay here." She paused in her work and bit her bottom lip, another thought occurring to her. "Actually..I have a question if you don't mind..."

"Yes dear?"

She worried her lip a little more as she tried to find the best way to word her thoughts, "Natsu... I've seen him use fire... on many occasions... I've also seen two others with power over fire as well, but I know they're not related. I've noticed some things about him that don't seem quite human." Lucy remembered watching him eat, fascinated by the sharp glint of fangs he had for teeth and the way his throat would rumble into a growl when agitated was not something she could ever hope to emulate.

Not phased, Mirajane set back and washed her hands of the soap suds. "So you noticed?" Lucy stared at her, drying off as the woman giggled again. "He's human, of course, but, like you, he comes from a rare tribe. Have you heard of the Draconis?"

Suddenly, it all seemed to click and she gasped. "Draconis, but..that.. that tribe doesn't even travel! No one knows where their base camp is!" Glancing to the sky, Lucy's mind ran a mile a minute as she tried to recall any rumors she had heard of tribe known for having the blood of a dragon running through its people. "They're said to have different skills, all relating to the dragon in their blood line.. Natsu's from that tribe?"

"He is." Mirajane's voice was soft. "I'm not sure on the particulars, but he was found wondering the forests as a little boy. For all we know, he was abandoned, and he's never told us any different."

Abandoned...suddenly, she felt almost bad for treating him so harshly. "I see..."

The crunching of twigs and leaves interrupted them and both girls froze as the very subject of their conversation walked through the brush with a string of fish hanging off his shoulders. His shirt hung down his hips as he spun a fishing rod in his hand and his dark eyes glittered when he noticed them.

"Hey, what are you two doing so far from the camp?" He asked with raised eyebrows while his nose bunched up. "Whew, that soap is strong!" Setting his fish down by the bank, he surveyed the laundry and smiled at the two. "Were you needing any help?"

Standing up, Mirajane patted his shoulder. "Thank you for the offer Natsu, but I think we were just finishing up. That and if you've been handling fish, we can't have your hands touching everything now can we?"

He frowned a moment and grunted. Lucy wasn't sure, but it almost looked as if he were pouting. What sort of man sulked at being unable to help in laundry? She was certain she had heard other men around the camp complaining if they were so much as asked to help cook dinner! Shaking her head, she grabbed the tips of the hanging shirts and shook them, testing the weight of them.

"We may be awhile, Mirajane."She said after a time. "The shirts still aren't dry yet."

"Really? Oh, that's no good, we can't be late for lunch!"

Natsu's voice grew smug. "I knew there was something I could help with! Hold on for just a moment, Mira."

"Be careful not to do what you did last time!" Mirajane cautioned. Confused by their conversation, Lucy stopped testing the shirts and was just about to ask about his help when her entire body tensed up and her heart suddenly stopped.

Without any warning, he had come up behind her, drawing his hands over hers to keep the shirt still and his breath ghosted over the tip of her ear. "You're a little slow, Lucy." Too stunned to retort, her breath inhaled again, feeling far too full in her lungs as she watched him take in deep breath over her shoulder.

"H-hey, w-wait a minute, just what do you think-" She felt through her clothes his temperature increase as an exhale of steaming air escaped his lips, blasting onto the fabric. It brushed her hair and cheek, sending a wave of warmth and shivers down her spine. Twitching, she tried to remove her hands, but his own were like iron over hers as he worked.

"Hold still." He ordered, eyes focused on his task and while she still struggled to collect her wits, he was gone as suddenly as he had embraced her. Shocked at the sudden chill in the air and shakiness in her legs, Lucy finally stopped holding her breath, letting it out in a low gasp that left her chest heaving. Her mind in shambles, she watched him grab the other shirts hanging as he treated them in the same manner, not even noticing that she could barely hold herself up anymore.

Grasping her cane at the trunk of the tree, she balanced herself and was finally able to fully process what he had done. Every shirt he passed over flapped in the wind effortlessly, no longer weighted down by the water and completely awe, she glanced from him to Mirajane with her jaw unhinged as words continued to fumble and fall away before she could speak them.

"Wonderful, Natsu!" Mirajane applauded, tossing the now empty baskets to the tree so she could drop the shirts into them. "And not a single one singed this time. You've been practicing!"

Cheeks slightly pink, the man shrugged his shoulders and sheepishly picked up his fish and pole once more. "Nah, it wasn't that difficult. I better get these back up to the camp so we can cook 'em! I bet I caught more than Gray this time around." Mirajane giggled as he walked away, crunching through the underbrush once more.

Still caught in her own stunned thoughts, Lucy didn't notice when the white-haired woman turned to look at her. "Is everything all right, Lucy?"

She blinked. "Eh? Oh. Yes, yes, everything's fine." Finally brought back to her senses, she helped the woman load the baskets once more and asked, "So...he's burned the shirts before?"

Mirajane laughed. "He likes to help, but he doesn't always have control of himself."

"I- I see..." Lucy replied, voice far away. Shivering again, she neatly folded the shirts and forced out a laugh. "Well, thanks to him,we got everything done so much faster. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he knew to come here for us."

Still smiling brightly, Mirajane lifted the baskets, shocking Lucy yet again, "Oh, he definitely knew. He'd been watching upstream since we started." Seeing Lucy drop her cane and splutter only made her laugh return. "You didn't know? He's taking his job very seriously. I'm so proud of him!"

Lucy wasn't entirely sure she knew how to respond to that.

* * *

Cana was judiciously shuffling her deck of cards again by the time Natsu made it back to camp. He was used to seeing her either entertaining others with her fortunes or drinking the entire camp out of the liqueur supply so it made no difference to him when she snapped her head up at his passing and pursed her lips intensely. Greeting her as he went by, the fortune teller waved him off with a snide remark to his catch of the day and life went on.

He had a mission to be the one with the most fish caught for today's meal and he was not going to be last to the central bonfire where most of the other hunters would have gathered for lunch. He didn't have much time to really consider the look Cana sent him behind his back or notice her draw a card slowly from her hand, staring him down.

Glancing to the card, her intense stare turned to concern. _The Hanged Man reversed as well?_

* * *

**I actually have studied the use of Tarot cards and card meanings just for this chapter. I just really wanted to have fun with Cana here as the story moves itself along! I'll place a brief description of the meanings below, in case any of you are curious. For those of you who actually study Tarot, I was using the meanings from a Druid Craft Deck.**

**Seven of Swords Reversed: ** Dishonesty or deception may be revealed. Stolen goods being returned.

**The Tower Reversed: **Protection from full release. Avoidance. Imprisonment.

**The Hanged Man Reversed: **Inability to surrender. Denial of parts to the self. Lack of self-awareness or intuition. "Victimhood."

**There are more, descriptive meanings, but where's the fun in that? **


End file.
